To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first Pioneer team to play in the Cape Ann League, I am taking a week by week look back at the 1973 season.
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Wayback Wednesday: The 1973
CAL Champion Pioneers |
October 10, 1973 - In the first two games of the season, the Pioneer defense set up the offense with several short field situations leading to scores. Now with a record of 2-0, the Pioneer offense showed it could carry its own load with some serious ball control against the winless Masconomet Chieftains.
It was old time ground 'em up football at Pioneer Field as the home team rolled for 271 yards, 220 of it on the ground. Brian Rea (22 carries, 122 yards) led the attack while sophomore Steve Celata made a statement of his own rushing for 70 and picking up 15 yards receiving.
The Pioneers dominated and the margin of victory should have been much higher, but penalties threw a monkey wrench into several Lynnfield drives. The game was never in question though as the Pioneers moved to 3-0 in their maiden Cape Ann League season. It marked the first time Lynnfield was unbeaten in their first three games since 1962.
The Chieftains threatened briefly at the start, taking the opening kick and marching 70 yards to the Lynnfield five yard line. After giving up four first downs on the drive, the Pioneer defense stiffened and kept the Masco offense out of the endzone. The Chieftains would pick up only one more first down on the day.
The Pioneers took over on their own four yard line and embarked on the first of two long scoring drives. They covered the 96 yards in 13 plays eating up the first quarter and the first part of the second quarter. Quarterback Steve Olsen capped it off by finding Lindsey Ross on a ten yard TD pass to put the Pioneers up 6-0. Allan Harrington's PAT attempt was no good.
Rea ended Masco's other scoring threat later in the first half on a circus play interception.
"Brian Rea picked off a possible TD pass on a rather bizarre play," recounted reporter Geof Simons in his Villager article. "The pass first hit Rea's hands and was juggled a bit, long enough for the Masco receiver to get his hands on the ball. He also had trouble handing the football and it ended up finally back in the hands of Brian Rea."
The first half ended with the Pioneers leading 6-0.
Although never really in danger, the Pioneers were nursing that same tenuous lead into the fourth quarter when according to Wakefield Item reporter Steve Farrar, Masco punter Dana Bernard pinned Lynnfield at their own three yard line with a nifty coffin corner punt.
Not to worry however, as the Pioneers marched 97 yards for the score with Rea romping in from the 11 for the touchdown. Olsen hit Ross for the two point conversion and the Pioneers secured their 14-0 win.
The victory lifted Lynnfield into a first place tie with Amesbury, Pentucket and Newburyport, which all shared the same 3-0 mark.
The Pioneers would look to make it four in a row the following week when they would travel to Hamilton to face the Generals. Hamilton-Wenham sported a 2-1 record and were coming off a win over Ipswich.
Farrar reported that Pioneer head coach Bill Rodan rated the Generals "as a big, tough team, yet he feels his Pioneers are quicker off the mark."
In an interesting subplot to the season, it was becoming obvious the something special was happening with Steve Olsen. The TD pass to Ross was his fifth of the season, and combined with the nine TD strikes in 1972 and one in 1971, gave him a total of 15 career touchdown passes. That tied the school record of 15 career TD strikes held by Steve Mucica (1960-62). The nine touchdowns he threw in his junior year tied him with Doug Murdock (1960) for most single season TD scores. With six games to play, Olsen looked to be in good position to threaten both of those records.
Checking on the Young 'Uns
Meanwhile, the young Pioneers were also doing well as the JV's improved to 2-1 with a 13-6 win over Masco. That followed a 12-0 victory over Ipswich and a 8-6 loss to Triton.
In the Masco game, quarterback Jim Nelson connected with halfback Glenn Dolbeare to set up both TD's. Nelson hit Dolbeare for 55 yards and a TD for the first score and Dolbeare hit the extra point to make it 7-0. That duo connected again on a screen pass good for 60 yards to get deep into Masco territory. Nelson used a quarterback sneak to get the score.
In the Ipswich win, Mark O'Hearn scored the first TD on a 40 yard run. Nelson and Dolbeare hooked up for a 45 yard pass for the second score.
Frank Guarino scored the only Pioneer TD in the Triton loss.
It was old time ground 'em up football at Pioneer Field as the home team rolled for 271 yards, 220 of it on the ground. Brian Rea (22 carries, 122 yards) led the attack while sophomore Steve Celata made a statement of his own rushing for 70 and picking up 15 yards receiving.
The Pioneers dominated and the margin of victory should have been much higher, but penalties threw a monkey wrench into several Lynnfield drives. The game was never in question though as the Pioneers moved to 3-0 in their maiden Cape Ann League season. It marked the first time Lynnfield was unbeaten in their first three games since 1962.
The Chieftains threatened briefly at the start, taking the opening kick and marching 70 yards to the Lynnfield five yard line. After giving up four first downs on the drive, the Pioneer defense stiffened and kept the Masco offense out of the endzone. The Chieftains would pick up only one more first down on the day.
The Pioneers took over on their own four yard line and embarked on the first of two long scoring drives. They covered the 96 yards in 13 plays eating up the first quarter and the first part of the second quarter. Quarterback Steve Olsen capped it off by finding Lindsey Ross on a ten yard TD pass to put the Pioneers up 6-0. Allan Harrington's PAT attempt was no good.
Rea ended Masco's other scoring threat later in the first half on a circus play interception.
"Brian Rea picked off a possible TD pass on a rather bizarre play," recounted reporter Geof Simons in his Villager article. "The pass first hit Rea's hands and was juggled a bit, long enough for the Masco receiver to get his hands on the ball. He also had trouble handing the football and it ended up finally back in the hands of Brian Rea."
The first half ended with the Pioneers leading 6-0.
Although never really in danger, the Pioneers were nursing that same tenuous lead into the fourth quarter when according to Wakefield Item reporter Steve Farrar, Masco punter Dana Bernard pinned Lynnfield at their own three yard line with a nifty coffin corner punt.
Not to worry however, as the Pioneers marched 97 yards for the score with Rea romping in from the 11 for the touchdown. Olsen hit Ross for the two point conversion and the Pioneers secured their 14-0 win.
The victory lifted Lynnfield into a first place tie with Amesbury, Pentucket and Newburyport, which all shared the same 3-0 mark.
The Pioneers would look to make it four in a row the following week when they would travel to Hamilton to face the Generals. Hamilton-Wenham sported a 2-1 record and were coming off a win over Ipswich.
Farrar reported that Pioneer head coach Bill Rodan rated the Generals "as a big, tough team, yet he feels his Pioneers are quicker off the mark."
In an interesting subplot to the season, it was becoming obvious the something special was happening with Steve Olsen. The TD pass to Ross was his fifth of the season, and combined with the nine TD strikes in 1972 and one in 1971, gave him a total of 15 career touchdown passes. That tied the school record of 15 career TD strikes held by Steve Mucica (1960-62). The nine touchdowns he threw in his junior year tied him with Doug Murdock (1960) for most single season TD scores. With six games to play, Olsen looked to be in good position to threaten both of those records.
Checking on the Young 'Uns
Meanwhile, the young Pioneers were also doing well as the JV's improved to 2-1 with a 13-6 win over Masco. That followed a 12-0 victory over Ipswich and a 8-6 loss to Triton.
In the Masco game, quarterback Jim Nelson connected with halfback Glenn Dolbeare to set up both TD's. Nelson hit Dolbeare for 55 yards and a TD for the first score and Dolbeare hit the extra point to make it 7-0. That duo connected again on a screen pass good for 60 yards to get deep into Masco territory. Nelson used a quarterback sneak to get the score.
In the Ipswich win, Mark O'Hearn scored the first TD on a 40 yard run. Nelson and Dolbeare hooked up for a 45 yard pass for the second score.
Frank Guarino scored the only Pioneer TD in the Triton loss.
Next: The Pioneers travel to Hamilton
1973 Flashback
The Villager published the building permits issued for the month of September and they included a reroof ($800), adding vinyl siding ($3,200), construction of an addition ($3,700), building a swimming pool ($4,650) and converting a poultry house to a stable ($500).
1973 Flashback
If you played on or were involved with the 1973 Pioneers and would like to share a memory, please pass it on to me at tcondardo@gmail.com.
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